UPDATE - Passengers sick aboard cruise ship

Seattle - Yesterday over 100 people, four crew members and 106 passengers of 2,600 on a Holland American cruise ship had to dock in San Diego. The ship was destined for the Mexican Riviera.

While docked the ship MS Oosterdam was thoroughly scrubbed and sanitized. Everything that was and could have been touched by the crew members and passengers such as carpets, linens and elevator buttons was disinfected.

According to reports the four crew members and 106 passengers contracted the norovirus. The symptoms occur fast and typically begin between one and two days after contacting the virus. Some can stay contagious for up to two weeks after they recover.

The symptoms of norovirus include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Other symptoms can include chills, muscle aches, low-grade fever, headache and fatigue. The norovirus is very contagious and can easily spread from person to person. It is very important for people to wash their hands and practice good hygiene techniques after recently recovering from the norovirus.

The Centers for Disease Control (the CDC) estimates that 23 million people or 8-percent, of the nation’s population contract symptoms of the norovirus. After two percent of a ship’s passengers become ill the CDC must be contacted. More than five percent of the passengers became ill on the Holland American cruise ship.

Initially it was being reported that one woman had died, but a spokesperson for Holland America had denied the report.

The source of the virus has not been found at this time. The ship was returned back to sea on Saturday night.